"BREAKING: Nike has terminated the contract of Lance Armstrong. More to come on http://ESPN.com . "

Quote:

Nike drops Lance Armstrong

The biggest supporter of cyclist Lance Armstrong has left his side.

The world's largest shoe and apparel company, Nike, announced Wednesday that it has terminated its endorsement deal with Armstrong.

"Due to the seemingly insurmountable evidence that Lance Armstrong participated in doping and misled Nike for more than a decade, it is with great sadness that we have terminated our contract with him," the company said, in a statement. "Nike does not condone the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs in any manner. Nike plans to continue support of the Livestrong initiatives created to unite, inspire and empower people affected by cancer."

Nike's announcement came on the same day that Armstrong stepped down as chairman of his cancer-fighting foundation Livestrong so that the organization can focus on its mission instead of doping allegations against its founder.

It is believed that Armstrong is now the second athlete that has ever been terminated by Nike. Nike terminated its contract with quarterback Michael Vick in 2007 following his plea agreement on dogfighting charges, but the company re-signed him in 2011. Endorsement contracts typically have morals clauses that allow companies to sever their deals with cause.

A call placed Wednesday to Armstrong, who has had a deal with the company since 1996, was not answered.

Together with Nike, the Livestrong Foundation raised more than $80 million through the sale of yellow Livestrong wristbands since May 2004. Nike also has a healthy line of Livestrong-branded products, including shoes and T-shirts. There were nearly 100 Livestrong items available for purchase on Nike's website on Wednesday morning.

A source told ESPN that Nike will also change the name of the Lance Armstrong Fitness Center building named after Armstrong at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.

Armstrong's other sponsors including Oakley, Honey Stinger and FRS have thus far continued to stand by his side.

Armstrong, through his foundation, has raised an estimated $500m to fight cancer.

this is only half correct. livestrong has raised about half a billion dollars = true. but it's not entirely sure where and what this money goes to. a portion undoubtedly goes to enrich a guy who may have committed fraud/cheated to win seven tour de frances. so yes he's a cancer survivor but he also may have cheated and now collects profits from an organization that may not really do anything to fight cancer. there's this organization called the american cancer society that actually fights cancer. livestrong spends an awful lot of money promoting itself and raising funds. fighting cancer? not so much.

this is only half correct. livestrong has raised about half a billion dollars = true. but it's not entirely sure where and what this money goes to. a portion undoubtedly goes to enrich a guy who may have committed fraud/cheated to win seven tour de frances. so yes he's a cancer survivor but he also may have cheated and now collects profits from an organization that may not really do anything to fight cancer. there's this organization called the american cancer society that actually fights cancer. livestrong spends an awful lot of money promoting itself and raising funds. fighting cancer? not so much.

This is far from over. Without Lance’s hero status and his legal team breathing down on their necks, more people would be willing to talk about a lot of things that they couldn’t before.

"We have provided financial resources to more than 550 organizations that conduct cancer survivorship research or offer services to people affected by cancer, and 81 cents of every dollar raised has gone directly to support our programs and services for survivors."

BTW, I'm a big supporter of the American Cancer Scoiety and also the NCI and have worked with them but I am not affilated with Livestrong at all.

As as Armstrong is concerned, I am sure he doped but I am also pretty sure that at least half the field in the Tour de France was also doping. With all the sponsorship money, it would be pointless for a top biker to ride that race without doping. Ask Greg Lemond who tried to race dope-free and was overwhelmed by many doped-up riders that he easily outraced in the past.

Whoever the officials eventually declare as the new winners of those past races instead of Armstrong had probably doped too. Its a mess.

"We have provided financial resources to more than 550 organizations that conduct cancer survivorship research or offer services to people affected by cancer, and 81 cents of every dollar raised has gone directly to support our programs and services for survivors."

BTW, I'm a big supporter of the American Cancer Scoiety and also the NCI and have worked with them but I am not affilated with Livestrong at all.

As as Armstrong is concerned, I am sure he doped but I am also pretty sure that at least half the field in the Tour de France was also doping. With all the sponsorship money, it would be pointless for a top biker to ride that race without doping. Ask Greg Lemond who tried to race dope-free and was overwhelmed by many doped-up riders that he easily outraced in the past.

Whoever the officials eventually declare as the new winners of those past races instead of Armstrong had probably doped too. Its a mess.

Stop confusing this issue with facts please.

This is a "rant only" zone

Now where were we? Ah yes, Lance is the devil and eats little baby's toes for breakfast.................

__________________
“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation” – Plato

Yeah, some of this stuff about Livestrong I've pointed out earlier in the thread. There's some really wierd/fishy information I've read about where the money goes...But the reality is this, they don't help fund cancer research. Livestrong is more of a "cancer awareness" group now than anything else, other than Lance's ATM that is.

Yeah, some of this stuff about Livestrong I've pointed out earlier in the thread. There's some really wierd/fishy information I've read about where the money goes...But the reality is this, they don't help fund cancer research. Livestrong is more of a "cancer awareness" group now than anything else, other than Lance's ATM that is.

i would appreciate your insights and comments on the lastest develpments. thanks.

Nike's image has obviously taken a hit in the last week when they said that they would be sticking with Armstrong, so now they've pulled the plug. Looks like Livestrong was being similarly hit by Armstrong being chairman.

Has there ever been discussion (here, or elsewhere in the media) about whether Lance's cancer could have been brought on by using PEDs? I know that young men can get testicular cancer but it was also accompanied by large tumors in his lungs. Not sure if that is normal or whether PEDs could actually cause testicular cancer or lung tumors.

in the grand scheme of things, how does this compare with tiger, kobe, mcguire, bonds scandals?

I haven't heard of Lance's doping scandal being mentioned in the same breath/news coverage as those four above, because Lance's scandal is way bigger in an international context than those guys. NBA and MLB controversies are American and parochial and I've not read of those scandals to the same extent as the coverage given to international pro cycling's and Armstrong's dramas. Who the heck is Michael Vick anyway?

However, I did hear one local commentator mention the Chicago WhiteSox/Shoeless Joe Jackson in the same breath as Armstrong.